Something of a Rough Start
by StatsGrandma57
Summary: Despite the tenor of chapter 1, keep in mind that a) I don't do tragedy and b) I especially don't do tragedy during the holidays. Han and Leia just don't know it yet :) Chapter 8 is up and concludes this story. Happy New Year, everyone!
1. Chapter 1

SOMETHING OF A ROUGH START

Chapter 1

(Han)

I'll admit it. I love Winter Fete. I really do. It's a great time of year, one I only began to appreciate once a certain princess entered my life. Now it's my princess and four kids, which is even better.

Well, most of the time.

Jarik's four. He's easy. Anything that functions as a hammer, projectile or explosive works for him. The older kids are doing most of his shopping, and I don't want to even think about how many credits Leia gave them.

Jacen wanted a Nelargon, a keyboard made famous by Max Rebo. I finally reached Max while he was on a concert tour of the Core Worlds. Max hooked me up with his dealer and I walked off with a top of the line Nelargon, at a fraction of what I expected to be soaked for.

Jaina and Anakin wanted their own tool sets, and I was only too happy to oblige them. We fight incessantly over tools. The kids misplace them or lose them and do everything but put them away properly. I bought two complete sets and had the handles on them color coded, red for one, blue for the other. And they come with the warning that using my tools will result in death or banishment from the _Falcon's_ repair bays.

I just flew in from Naboo, where I found Leia's favorite perfume. It's not widely available and I love it on her. I also stopped at a ladies' specialty store to get her a gift (mostly for my benefit). You are not allowed to know what it is. You're not even allowed to speak. You may ask about the deep red kabah goat wool shawl should you feel it necessary. But it doesn't mean I'm going to give you an answer.

I'm exhausted from a week of deliveries, and I'm so happy to be entering the atmosphere of Coruscant. Coruscant's atmosphere is a bit bumpy but I'm totally used to it. Chewie, not so much, but he's tired, too. A tired Wookiee is not someone to trifle with.

"You're coming to dinner tomorrow night, aren't you?" I ask Chewie.

{I'll eat first, but of course I'll come}.

We're all kinda grateful Chewie eats before he comes. Raw meat is the mainstay of Wookiee diets. That doesn't apply to dessert, though. Chewie loves dessert and it's a lot less unattractive than him ripping through the main course.

{I'm going to meet up with my friends}, Chewie informs me. There's a small Wookiee population on Coruscant, and they get together from time to time. {You don't need to take me. They'll come for me at the landing pad}.

"Works for me."

{I know how much you want to see Leia and the kids}.

"Really? Now why would I want to see my family?"

{Face it, Han. You're a softie when it comes to your family}.

"I'm Han Solo and I'm not soft about anything!"

Chewie laughs.

"Laugh it up, fuzzball!"

{I'll tie down the ship while I wait. Hurry on home}.

"Sometimes, Chewie, you're not a bastard. Thanks."

We touch down, very gently. It comes from having a long relationship.

I'm looking forward to touching down with Leia later tonight.

Chewie starts the tie down work, and I grab my speeder. Leia and I each have one these days. It simplifies a lot of things, although I admit that I kind of miss seeing her as soon as I walk down the gangway.

And then there's traffic on Coruscant. It's hideous. Whether on the ground or going by air, it's bumper to bumper ridiculousness. And that'll be amped because Winter Fete starts tomorrow night. Last minute shoppers, the whole quad in the government sector turned into merchandise and food stalls.

Flying through a solar storm's a snap compared to navigating drive time traffic. I find myself calling on the skills I'd acquired going through asteroid fields way too often. Toss in the so-called 'wintry mix' as the holocasters so delicately label it, and it feels way too much like trying to dodge TIE fighters.

I exit the hangar slowly so as to not be hammered the moment I get out. It take a lot longer than I'd like to get into traffic, but at least, for now, I'm not going to be taken out in a vehicular accident. When I'm on my way home, I look forward to being mauled by my kids, not by idiots who should never have been given a permit.

The weather is typical Coruscant winter. Icy rain slams down on everyone; anyone fool enough to use the streets is sliding all over the place. Me, I always feel safer in the air, or more specifically, out in space.

I'm really tired and I know I'm not running on optimum, but believe it or not, I actually am careful. How do you think I held out against being blasted by Imperials for years? Sure, some of the things I did might have been considered daring, but daring without being careful just gets you dead.

What the nine hells?!


	2. Chapter 2

SOMETHING OF A ROUGH START

Chapter 2

(Leia)

Winter Fete starts tomorrow night and I haven't had a chance to even start wrapping gifts. And if it were left to me, there might not have been gifts. Han and Chewie shopped for the three older kids, and the three older kids, being given a fairly liberal supply of credits from their mother, cleaned out the toy shops all over downtown Coruscant. The least I could do is get some flimsi wrap and ribbons on them.

I'm really starting to burn out on my job. I hate being away from my kids so much. Han's business is such that he's had to outsource some of his work to former students just so that he can have time with us. I'm thinking I should do the same.

The whole point of Winter Fete is to start over - start over by being closer to loved ones, starting over to better use of time, starting over to figure out what's most important. I'm really going to have to start disengaging from my work some.

The twins turned thirteen in the summer and Anakin is twelve; I had the notion that kids needed you most when they were small. And they do, but teenagers are in dangerous territory, and I think that while the sort of attention they require is different, they need no less of it. Jarik is four, and I am ashamed to say that he gets most of his attention from Jaina, Jacen and Anakin. He's their mascot and they dote on him.

I've locked the bedroom door behind me and am about to pull the wrapping box off the closet shelf which just took me fifteen minutes to find. when my comm goes off. Probably Han, telling me he's stuck in traffic. It's insane out there. I've really missed him and I can't wait to get these kids in bed so that we can have a proper welcome home. I know the kids need their time with him, too, and I'm looking forward to that - right now, there appears to be a loud argument for some most likely undeterminable cause.

I notice that the incoming isn't Han; it's CoruSecMed, the emergency medical services. My breath leaves me.

"Minister Solo?"

I can barely respond. "Yes, this is she."

"Your husband is Captain Han Solo, correct?"

"What is it?"

"He's been badly injured in a speeder accident."

"WHAT?!" He's got to be kidding. Han's flown safely through gravity wells and asteroid fields and giant maws and solar storms - and he's saying Han was in a traffic accident?!

I force myself to pull it together. "How badly injured is he?"

"We can't say exactly. He can move his limbs so we're pretty certain that there are no spinal cord injuries, but he's on his way to East Coruscant Medcenter as we speak. Someone will pick you up shortly.

"Got it." I stick my head out of the bedroom door. "Kids!" I shout at the top of my lungs. I am completely ignored.

"ALL OF YOU, SHUT. UP!"

That gets their attention. I'm trying to not cry.

"It's Dad. He's been hurt. Jaina, call Chewie."

"Whaddya mean, he's hurt?" Jacen looks alarmed.

"Did he hurt the _Falcon_?" Jarik asks.

"No, the _Falcon_ is fine. He was in a speeder accident."

"No way," Anakin says. "He's the best pilot in the galaxy!"

"I don't know all the details. Jaina!"

"I'm texting Chewie! He says should he come here or should he meet you?"

"Tell him to come here for now."

"Is he gonna be all right?" Jaina says, looking up at me with worry in her eyes. I could be mistaken, but I think those are tears. Jaina is Han's baby girl.

"I'll comm you as soon as I know. I love you guys," I say, hugging each one. Chewie is on his way; I hate to pull him away from his friends but Chewie always puts us first. And he can calm the kids better than anyone. The big hairy lug has the touch.

The freezing rain is pelting and traffic is a mess. There's an escort that comes along for me. I try not to take advantage of my position but there are times when it comes in handy. This is one of those times.

I just hope we make it there in one piece. Since they're law enforcement, they can travel under the airborne vehicles, and they're fast, but not fast enough for my tastes.

I keep my eyes closed. "Madam, are you all right?" The driver asks me. It's probably meant as a courtesy, but I'm in no mood right now.

"If you were taking me to a cantina to watch my husband and his band play out, I would be. But since you're not, no, not exactly."

"I'm sorry, Madam." He has the grace to blush. A few moments later, I arrive at the medcenter and rush to the desk.

"I'm Leia Organa Solo and I'm here about my husband," I inform the droid functioning as an admissions clerk. The task was once performed by sentients but there seemed to be too many fistfights and too much name calling, so quite some time ago it was delegated to droids. I have a feeling that someday they might rise up and become violent with us, and I won't blame them.

"Yes. He was brought in about 20 minutes ago. He's in treatment right now, as we are trying to determine the damage."

"I need to speak to the medic."

"I'll notify him that you've arrived and will ask him to speak to you as soon as possible, but you will most likely need to wait. Please take a seat."

I wish I could swing my influence around here, but that'd be crass, and it would just make everyone furious. The wait area is full, and I'm sure everyone's been here considerably longer than I have and that their loved ones are just as important to them.

I take a deep breath but am immediately jarred by my comm. It's Jaina.

"Hi honey," I say to her.

"What's the news on Daddy?" She has the video on and her eyes are wide with anguish and terror. She's gulping and trying to hold back her tears.

Han and I have trained our kids that way, but right now, I'm not sure it's the best thing we ever gave them.

"I don't have any yet. Is Chewie there?"

"Yeah, he just got here. He's holding Jarik right now." Her voice is shaky. I know exactly how she feels, but I'm the mom, and I'm supposed to hold it together.

"I will call you the moment I hear anything at all, sweetie."

"He's not gonna die, is he?"

"Honey, I don't have any information right now. I promise I'll tell you once I know."

"Can Chewie bring us to the medcenter?"

"Not right now. Let's get some information. I love you." I end the comm. No sooner do I stuff it in my tote than it goes off again. It's Luke.

"Jacen just called me. I had a bad feeling about something," he says. "Mara and Ben and I are getting ready to leave Yavin." They have an apartment they keep in town. We were going to be visiting them this year, but the best laid plans have been trashed in a way I didn't think would ever happen.

"How was he?"

"Pretty shaken up. He says they all are. Jaina seems to be taking it hardest even though she's trying to fool everyone."

"That doesn't shock me. She just got off the comm with me. Oh, and I have no news as to Han's condition, so please don't ask."

"I won't." I'm glad my brother is coming. I can use the support. Luke can sometimes give more information than I want, so best to take a preemptive strike. "Chewie's with the kids."

"Jacen said he was there. Do you want Mara and me to head to your place first?"

"If you wouldn't mind. Obviously, Han and I aren't going to be sleeping in our bed tonight." This thought nearly drives me to tears. I hold back. I'm going to have to schedule a nervous breakdown but not for tonight.

It's going to be a long night.


	3. Chapter 3

SOMETHING OF A ROUGH START

Chapter 3

(Leia)

I'm on the comm with Luke when I hear, "Minister Solo!"

"Let me get back to you," I say to my brother and cut the call. I'm afraid that if I don't answer the droid immediately, I'll be subject to hours more of waiting. No logical reason for it, just seems to be the way things operate around here, as they do in every medcenter.

"Come with me, please," the droid intones, much more quietly this time. The droid is a model of C3PO, a protocol droid, although with somewhat different programming. "May I bring you a kaf? Some water?"

I suddenly realize that I'm incredibly thirsty. "Both, please?"

"Of course. The head medic will be with you momentarily."

My comm, of course, goes off. I'm tempted to shut it off.

It's Anakin.

"He's not gonna die, Mom. He can't."

"Anakin, honey, please, I'm about to meet with the medic. I've said it before: I will call back when I know something!" I'm gritting my teeth as I say it. The last thing I want to do right now is go off on my kids when I should really be going off on the individual or group that caused this.

Sadly, they are not available to take a pounding at this time. The droid returns with my beverages, and tells me to call him should I need anything.

What I'd really like is a stiff drink. A medcenter should always have a bar. Gods knows the loved ones could use a few.

I close my eyes and I see the life Han and I have had flashing back to me. Our meeting on the Death Star. Our near death experience in the trash masher. The party after the awards ceremony. Our nonstop insulting one another because we were too afraid to admit what we felt. Finally admitting it and surrendering ourselves to love. Six months searching for Han in carbon freeze and rescuing him. The victory at Endor and him proposing to me. Our wedding day. Our decision to have a family. The birth of our kids. Holidays. Workdays. Many nights of...well, many nights.

"Minister Solo?" There's a light knock on the door and a soft voice calling me. I look up and a human female approaches. From her accent, I believe she's Cadezian.

"How is he?" I try to keep the panic from my voice and I'm not being very successful. "What happened?"

"A Rodian driver was going in the wrong direction as your husband was getting into the dive lane." The dive lanes are designated for those traveling off the ground in order to arrive at their destinations.  
"She hit several other drivers before crashing head on into Captain Solo's speeder. According to her husband, they were shopping and she left and he didn't realize it immediately. Apparently she's elderly and very confused."

"Were any of the others injured?"

"Minor injuries only."

"So what is Han's condition?"

"He does not appear to have more than a mild concussion and his spinal cord is intact, insofar as his central nervous system is concerned. But he does have a fractured leg, several fractured ribs, and a crushed pelvis. We can take care of all these things. It's not going to be an easy recovery, but it should be a nearly full one."

I breathe a sigh of relief that's audible to the medic.

"He's still very sick," the medic says gently. "And his injuries will take time to recover from. But he is, considering the impact, in remarkably good shape. And he's been asking for you and his children."

"May I see him?"

"He should be in ICU in a few minutes. When asked about the accident, he doesn't remember the impact at all, which is normal. He sounds lucid but he may not remember what's going on for a few days. We're giving him a lot of pain and sedation medications."

There's a knock at the door. "Excuse me, Minister Solo?" It's the droid from earlier.

"Yes?"

"The press is here and they're asking for a statement."

I bristle. I'm dealing with a badly injured husband and the media wants a circus.

"Tell them that I am not going to make any statements and that they should get as lost as possible. Surely there are some actresses out there that want the publicity more."

"Can we tell them Captain Solo's condition?"

"You are not to tell them anything!" I hiss.

The medic motions for me to follow her.

I hold my breath as I follow.


	4. Chapter 4

SOMETHING OF A ROUGH START

Chapter 4

(Han)

Where am I? What's going on? Where's Leia?

"Where's my wife?" I ask, feeling like my voice isn't my own.

"She's on her way right now," a disembodied voice says.

"Han?" It's Leia's voice. "It's me."

"Leia." I feel her touch. It's as if I'm in a dream.

I'm in carbon freeze again? How?

"I'm here," her voice says. She takes my hand in her two tiny ones.

"Are you here to get me outta carbon freeze again?"

"You're in the medcenter, love."

"I am?"

"You haven't noticed all the droids?"

"What droids?"

"The ones taking care of you."

"I don't want any droids taking care of me." This really pisses me off.

"You've been hurt. You have a lot of broken bones."

"How did I get broken bones?"

"You were in a speeder accident."

"A what?"

"A driver traveling in the wrong direction hit you head on."

"This is so humiliating."

"What do you mean?"

"If I'm gonna have a bunch of broken bones, I should get 'em in a battle or at least a good bar fight."

She's laughing. I've got broken bones and she's laughing?

"It was her fault."

"Probably a Rodian."

"Matter of fact, it was."

"They'll give licenses to anyone."

"The most important thing for you to do right now is rest."

I don't want to rest. I want to get up. I've been trying to escape!

"Han, look, I know this is a total affront to your masculinity, but you need to stay quiet."

She runs her hand over my face. Her skin is cool and smooth. "I'm not going anywhere. So behave yourself."

All I can feel is the gentleness of those hands as I drift off again.

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(Leia)

I watch my husband quiet again.

He may only have a mild concussion, but his face is bruised and there are cuts all over it. Well, he's got a scar on his chin and that hasn't done anything to make him less sexy. His ribs are bound and his leg taped. Apparently the pelvic and leg injuries will require surgical interventions. Fortunately, the technology has gotten better. It used to be very crude, but now there are enzymes that can be injected to speed the healing once the bones are set in place.

I know I shouldn't laugh, but I totally understood when he said it was demeaning to have been injured in a speeder accident. For Han, injuries are more bearable if there's a good story that goes with them. The chin scar was the result of an argument in a cantina when he was young; that one he wears proudly. He claims to have not killed the sentient who jumped him, but he did leave him moaning on the ground.

If Han had really wanted to kill him, believe me, said sentient would have been dead.

My comm goes off. Jacen.

"Mom? What's up? You said you'd call us." His tone is accusing.

"I'm sorry. I just found out a few minutes ago. I'm with your father now. He's broken a lot of bones but the medics say that he'll be fine. He needs time to recover, though. So you kids may not be able to beat up on him as much for a while."

"Damn." But he cracks a smile. "When are you coming home?"

"I don't know, sweetie. Luke and Mara and Ben are on their way. How's Chewie?"

"Trying to get Jarik to go to sleep."

"Ask him if he could come over when Luke gets there, please."

"He'll be there. Can I come with him?"

"No, sweetie, I'm afraid not."

"Gimme the comm!" I hear Jaina shout.

"Fine, take it!" Jacen snaps at her.

"Mom? Is Daddy okay?"

"Okay would be a stretch. If by okay you mean he's not going to die, yes. If you mean - "

"He's not gonna die?" Jaina's eyes grow wide, hopeful.

"Not tonight, anyway."

"Can I come see him? Please?"

"Not right now, honey."

"But Mom!"

"Jaina, he's sedated and he's not capable of carrying on a conversation."

"But I wanna see him!"

"Jaina please. I know you love your dad. But you're going to have to be patient." I say this fully realizing that patience and a 13 year old girl are mutually exclusive terms.

"Fine." She looks very unhappy. "Mom, what are we gonna do about the media jerks? They're outside the building."

"You send Chewie down there. He'll know what to do." I smile as I imagine Chewie with fangs and giant teeth bared. We don't always make him go after the media, but when we do, they take it seriously. He's not afraid to call for reinforcements, either. There's a small but lively Wookiee population on Coruscant, which we pulled Chewie away from tonight. A half dozen male Wookiees is one of the most frightening encounters one can have in the galaxy. Trust me on this.

I look at Han's IV line, watching the clear liquid dripping into his veins. I hope that the medics are right and that he will not be crippled or brain injured. He looks very helpless at the moment, a sentiment I keep to myself. He would not appreciate my thinking that. I'm forced to smile.


	5. Chapter 5

SOMETHING OF A ROUGH START

Chapter 5

(Three days later...)

(Han)

What the hell is going on? I can't remember when I've been in this much pain, and believe me, it's happened enough that I should know. I've felt better after cantina fights where I had to crawl out.

If I'm not mistaken, I'm in some kind of medcenter. Not exactly one of my favorite places to end up. The food is lousy and the droids make me want to deprogram them. I would imagine my pain levels might have something to do with why I'm here, except that the pain is still lousy. They should have good drugs here.

I have no idea how the hells I got here. Last thing I remember, I was trying to get out of the way of some idiot driving in the wrong hover lanes. I hope that if that idiot crashed into me, he's hurting way worse than I am.

"Captain Solo, how are you feeling this morning?" a droid asks me. They program these droids to sound nice and calming. It doesn't matter. Droids annoy the hells outta me.

"Terrible barely starts to cover it. Where's my wife?"

My door slides open. "I'm here," a familiar husky voice calls out.

"Leia!"

"Nice to see you awake, Flyboy. It's been a while." She leans over to kiss me.

"Whaddya mean, it's been awhile? How long was I out?"

"Three days."

"No way."

"Afraid so."

"Where were you?"

"I went back to the apartment to see the kids and take a shower, which, by the way, you should be thankful for."

I breathe in her scent. Ladalum perfume, her favorite. I found some shower gel and lotion in it for Winter Fete.

Winter Fete! Damn, I was coming home from a run! I had presents with me! That was one of 'em! Dammit!

"How's the speeder?" I ask Leia.

"Totaled would cover it."

"Did you get to take anything out of it? I had Winter Fete presents in there for you!" I try to move and I almost scream in pain.

"I haven't been to see it yet. I was a little more worried about you."

"Okay, okay. But I got you the ladalum shower gel and lotion that's hard to get - "

"Han, I very much appreciate that you went out of your way to get me something I love. I really do. But what I love most is you. So shut up already."

I laugh. It hurts to, but sometimes, you just gotta.

"So when can I get outta this hellhole?"

"Not today. That's the only thing I can tell you for sure. The reason you're in so much pain is that you've got a broken hip and leg and more than a few ribs cracked in the process. They didn't want to do the surgery till they were assured of your...mental state."

"My mental state is fine. Give me pain meds, get the surgery over with, and get me out of here. See? I'm perfectly rational."

"That will happen, but not today."

"So I'll have the surgery tomorrow. No problem."

She rolls her eyes at me, but then she smiles. "You're not going to be able to go home for at least a week."

A week?! Is she kidding?! It's Winter Fete! What about our kids?!

"I can't stay here a week. I'll kill somebody!"

"They have medications for that now," she says, her tone droll.

I hear someone walk into my room. Whatever happened to knock first?

"Well, come on in," I say. Sarcasm isn't something that happens with the Solos. It's a way of life.

"How are you feeling, Captain Solo?" At least this one's human. Cadezian from the sound of it. They make terribly whiskey.

"How am I feeling? If I had some pain meds, I'd be a hell of a lot better."

"Captain, you are receiving pain meds."

"Then how come I'm still in pain?" No, I am NOT in the mood to be nice.

"Because if we gave you enough that you couldn't detect any, you'd be dead. I'm here to tell you that we're going to do surgery on your hip and leg tomorrow."

"My lucky day."

"If all goes well, you'll go home in five to seven days."

"How about three? I can live with three."

"Han..." Leia is giving me The Look. I should probably shut up while I'm ahead.

She turns to the staff. "I think Captain Solo needs a little privacy right now." She gives them The Look. They tell us they'll be back later.

She runs her hand along my forehead. I can't tell you how good it feels.

"How're the kids?" I ask her.

"They're holding up. Luke, Mara and Ben came from Yavin. Chewie's been there nonstop, caring for the kids and holding the media at bay."

Oh gods. Not those assclowns. Fortunately, Chewie's good at getting rid of them.

"I miss 'em. But I don't want 'em to see me like this. A speeder accident! I've outrun Imperial ships, made it through gravity wells, skimmed the Maw, gotten through asteroid fields and solar storms. And I get laid up by a craptastic speeder collision. Oh, my partners in crime are never gonna let me live this one down!"

Fact is, I'm starting to feel very, very tired. And a little unnerved. I know they do good things with surgery these years, but it's still something that makes me uneasy.

"Maybe you should go home," I say to Leia. I don't want her to leave, but all I want to do is go to sleep and forget about how much pain I'm in.

"Or maybe I should stay here with my husband," she retorts at me. She runs her soft, cool hand against my face, and I drift off again.

I'm so glad she's here. She knows it, too.


	6. Chapter 6

SOMETHING OF A ROUGH START

Chapter 6

(Han)

I really have an intense dislike of things invading my body and moving things around. It's not my first time in surgery but I hate droids, and the droids with their robots are the ones doing the mucking around.

This is not one of my better days. I've had worse. But this doesn't exactly make it a good one.

"I hate this," I mutter to the orderly droids.

"Well, considering that you flew 40 meters through the air, you're in remarkably good shape," the droid near my head comments.

"You serious? I flew 40 meters?"

"Yes, Captain."

Maybe I do get some bragging rights after all.

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I have no long I was out when I wake up and the first thing I see is Leia's beautiful face.

I look at her and she touches my face.

"I feel terrible."

"I'm sure," Leia says gently. "I'm told it went well. We just need to make sure you rest enough for the enzymes to start knitting your bones back together.

"The droid that pushed me off to surgery...he said I flew 40 meters through the air."

"Honey, I think you'd have been dead if that were the case."

"Look at the datapad." I'm pretty out of it, but if that's true, then the whole thing'll be less humiliaiting."

"Let me look." She takes it from its slot and peruses it. "Wow. They did report it. Wonder why they didn't tell me."

"Maybe they didn't wanna freak you out."

"They'd already done that. Another detail wouldn't have hurt...you really do have the Solo luck, sweet one." She leans over to kiss me.

"Yeah, but at least it makes the speeder accident thing not so lame."

She laughs and rolls her eyes. "Han Solo, you are impossible."

Actually, I just feel sick right now. But I'm so glad she's here.

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(Leia) I watch my beloved sleeping. He's clearly exhausted, which humans tend to be post op, and I'm sure that despite the pain meds, he's not very comfortable, as evinced by his restlessness. According to his monitors, he's a bit feverish, but I'm told that that is normal and that he has to be fever free for 24 hours in order to be discharged, among other conditions. I really hope he shows his Solo stubbornness and recovers quickly. Of course, even the Solo stubbornness can be counterproductive, but I would expect Han to rehab himself as quickly as possible.

I feel as if I'm exhaling for the first time since he's been injured, and when I do, the exhaustion slams into me. I really need a break.

I comm Chewie, telling him I'm headed home. I need to see the kids, Luke and Mara, and I need to get some real sleep. Our bed will be empty without Han, but all I plan to do is sleep in it. Chewie says he's fine, he'll come hang with Han.

I mention to Chewie that Han flew 40 meters through the air and managed to survive. This gets a laugh out of Chewie.

{Now he has something to brag about}, Chewie says, laughing.

"My sentiments exactly."


	7. Chapter 7

SOMETHING OF A ROUGH START

Chapter 7

(Han)

This place is not going to be happy until they kill me.

I've just spent I don't know how long with a Wookiee who's been appointed as my 'physical therapist.' I've had less pain being tortured with electricity, which is one reason why I have less than fond memories of spending man time with my then girlfriend's dad.

Of course, I want out of here as soon as possible, so I subject myself to ongoing torture by Rrrrufrakka, whom I hesitate to piss off, seeing as he has my release date in his huge furry paws. I think there should be a law about not allowing Wookiee to become physical torturers - uh, therapists.

Leia's bringing the kids by in a little while. I've missed the little demons so much it's hard to describe.

My door bursts open, and with it a cacophony of voices. My spirits are lifted.

"Now remember, your dad's still in a lot of pain and needs healing, so try to be gentle," Leia instructs them, but it's too late. All four of them are all over me, and I've never been so happy to be mauled. I'll pay for it later, but I haven't seen my kids in a week.

Of course, my kids are anything but subtle. I think they may have rebroken my bones, but I'm so happy to see them I don't care. Even Jacen and Anakin hug me, and that's a surprise, since they're thirteen and twelve. Jarik has no reservations and Jaina, being my daughter and a daddy's girl, refuses to let go of me.

"You guys behaving yourselves?" I ask them.

"Of course," Jaina tells me, but her eyes are sparkling. She's such an imp.

"Take that with a grain of salt," Leia tells me.

"No, really, we've been good," Anakin insists. I have a feeling they have been, but now that they've seen that I'm not dead yet, they'll take up where they left off.

"When are you coming home, Daddy?" Jarik asks me.

"It better be soon," I tell him. He's curled up on the bed next to me and isn't, for the moment, crushing me.

"You gotta get home before last night of Winter Fete," Anakin tells him.

"I'm doing what I can," I assure him. "I have a Wookiee physical torturer who's trying, brutally, to get me on my feet." Chewie laughs out loud. Bastard. "It's not funny, Fuzzball!"

Leia and Chewie think it is, and so do the older kids. I get no respect. Of course, I don't get any respect when not sick or injured, so it's just part of the continuum. I wonder if I'd be disturbed if they suddenly started showing some; I'd think someone swapped out my kids.

They've been spending time at friends' houses, where they've been welcomed to join in the celebrations, which makes me glad. Be a drag if all they were doing was sitting round the apartment and being sulky. They don't do sitting around well. There's also a bunch of holos from our friends, wishing me a speedy recovery.

I'll recover much faster if I can do it at home, amidst my noisy children, my wife who's trying to take care of me, the kids and the galaxy at the same time, our various and sundry animals, and amongst Chewie. It's not exactly quiet in the medcenter, what with everyone's alarms going off, holos in each room with a ridiculously small number of channels - I can't even get the smashball games! - numerous visitors, and the droids coming in and stabbing everyone way too often. I want to be home in my Papa Bear chair (the kids are NOT allowed to sit in it, and I'll know if they did), I want to eat home cooking, hell, I'm even looking forward to cooking again, and I want 800 channels. And control of the remote. 800 channels are no good if you can't control the remote.

We talk about what the kids have been up to. There've been a few ice storms recently. Apparently, the latest craze is taking sheet metal, rolling up the edges so they don't bleed to death, oiling the bottom, and then racing down the various hills in Coruscant Central Park. Leia visibly cringes. I grin. Yep, they've got some of their father's genetic makeup. Leia looks at me as if she's going to kill me.

Ah, normalcy. Gotta love it.


	8. Chapter 8

SOMETHING OF A ROUGH START

Chapter 8

(Han)

Home sweet insane home. Gotta love it.

I was released this morning after being in lockdown for thirteen days. I think the staff was glad to see me go, because lacking for decent amusement, I began tormenting them. Leia was horrified but she's a terrible patient herself. She's bossy. I'm just obnoxious. You work from your strengths.

I'm still walking with a bata. My kids think this is hilarious. They keep threatening to put things in my path just to see what I'd look like falling down. They haven't done it yet, but I don't put anything past them - they have fifty percent of my genes. Fortunately, they have fifty percent of Leia's, so there may be hope for them.

Let's face it, I love our little rascals for what they are. I think I'd be really bored with boring kids. I've never had a dull moment with this crowd and I doubt I ever will. They never cease to amaze. Sometimes in ways I wish they wouldn't.

"I'm glad you're home, Daddy," Jaina says, handing me an Alderaanian ale.

"At least somebody is."

"Oh, Daddy, you're such a goof!" But she gives me a kiss on the cheek, and I can't think of anything nicer.

As I said previously, I get no respect. But I've got the love of an amazing woman and four kids, plus a Wookiee and a brother in law who've always got my back. I've even got a friend here that I go way back with and I know where his bodies are buried. I don't think it gets better than this.

The new year is looking pretty damn good from here.

01123581321345589144233377610987

(Leia)

I'm glad that Han is home; I've missed him swearing in six different languages at his Drednoughts. I've missed him teasing our kids. I've missed him pretending he doesn't like the pittins but when no one's watching, he talks baby talk to them and pets them. I've missed him snoring next to me in our bed, and I miss most of all what you don't need to know but by now I'm sure you're imagining.

He's got a long recovery ahead of him; he's still casted and he will be getting daily visits from Rrrrufakka, a fact that Chewie thinks is absolutely hilarious. Turns out they're friends and so both of them are here to celebrate with us. Lando is between ladyfriends and has joined us. The kids are torturing Lando every which way they can and Han, of course, is encouraging them. They're also hassling their father. Whatever he says, I know he enjoys it.

I shudder to think that I very nearly lost my husband. He's making the most of flying 40 meters through the air and living to tell about it, but quite honestly, it makes my blood run cold.

He really does have the Solo luck. If I had doubts before, this has forever erased them.

On the last night of Winter Fete, the new year begins at midnight.

Mara and I are handling the cooking with some help from Jacen. Jacen seems to like cooking. Jaina couldn't care less, but I need table slaves as well and she's qualified. I would have never believed it, but Mara is an outstanding cook and baker. The pastries are courtesy of her kitchen and she and Jacen are chopping greens for salads and making the dressing for it. I have a nerf tenderloin roasting in the oven and it smells delicious. It will be a feast, a meal to indicate all the riches that this year has provided. No, Han's accident is not among them, but on balance, it's been a good year.

My nephew Ben is here and playing with Jarik; they're a year apart and laugh nonstop when they're together. I hope we'll see more of my brother and his wife and child this coming year. We get so caught up in so many things, some of which don't really matter.

What matters is having family around me. I still miss my parents and always will. But despite everything, we have great kids and friends who really are family. Chewie long ago forgave me for the walking carpet remark. I've forgiven Lando for what happened at Bespin. My brother is not just my brother; he's my friend as well and Mara as well. It took me a while to warm up to Mara, but once I did, I began to appreciate how good she is for my brother and we've grown close.

The food is ready to be served. Everything looks delicious and smells even better. I go to Han to help him get up but he's adamant about doing it himself.

I'm at the table with everyone around me. It's a blur of talk, candlelight, laughter and amidst the sarcasm, love. I smile.

Han is laid up in a number of ways, but do I ever have plans for him later. That part of him is still operational.

Happy New Year, one and all.


End file.
